Life Goes On
by LadyAlambiel
Summary: Less than ten years before the White Witch conquers Narnia, tragedy struck the royal family and in its midst, Aslan reminded them that life goes on...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: Less than ten years before the White Witch conquers Narnia, tragedy struck the royal family and in its midst, Aslan reminded them that life goes on...

A/N: This is part of my _A Light in the Darkness_ universe and it is part of my Pre-Winter story cycle and ties in with _Praying for the Children_. I recommend reading _Praying for Children_ first, but you can give this one a whirl on its own too.

**Prologue**

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_A scream ripped through the air. She whirled around but there was naught but darkness around her. She reached for the dagger she typically carried at her waist, but her fingers closed on nothing. As she looked down, eyes adjusting to the darkness, she could feel a sticky substance covering her fingers. Raising her hand, her eyes widened as she realized it was blood. She flinched and lowered her hand when she heard the heart wrenching sobs of warriors broken by death. Their voices were familiar. Then, the wordless mourning song of her father's people echoed around her. Nearly buried underneath the Centaurs' mourning, she heard the faintest sound of a baby crying..._

Her eyes flew open and she barely stifled her gasp in time to keep from disturbing her husband. She raised her head and scanned the familiar furnishings of their bedroom to reassure herself that the dream was over. She breathed a sigh of relief then tensed. Lew stirred beside her, voice rough and slightly slurred with sleep. "Hadassah? Something wrong? Is it the baby?"

She could hear the alertness working its way into his voice as Lew moved his hand to rest against her back and she hurried to answer before he could wake any further. "No, I'm fine. The baby's fine. It was just a bad dream. Go back to sleep, love. I'm fine."

If Lew hadn't returned from a three-week-long skirmish at the Northern border only to be pulled into two weeks of day-long meetings with the council and then another week of meetings solely with their top military officers, it probably wouldn't have worked. Hadassah thanked Aslan when she felt Lew move her hair to the side so he could press a kiss to the back of her neck and then a few short moments later, his snores started up once again. She loved Lew, but the growing unrest in Narnia and continued attacks on the Tree of Protection were making his tasks as King even more difficult than they already were, and she didn't want to burden him with anything else. He was already overprotective because she had fainted one time in Nor'Wind due to the pregnancy, which had been a first after five previous pregnancies with their sons. He didn't need to know about the dreams as well, or rather, he didn't need to know about the dream since it hadn't changed once since it first came not quite seven weeks earlier.

Hadassah was distracted from her thoughts as she impatiently kicked the sheets off her legs, once again too hot thanks to the baby. Useful enough when she was pregnant during the winter months, but increasingly annoying as the seasons changed and the weather warmed. They weren't even halfway through Mayblossom and she already felt like she was stranded in Calormen's desert. She fidgeted awkwardly then she carefully got out of bed and padded across the room to open the window.

The cool night breeze allowed her to refocus on the matter of her dream. It troubled her, how the dream never changed and always repeated itself at least once a night. It felt different from other dreams, as though it were a shadow of the true event occurring in the dream. Biting her lip, Hadassah absently toyed with her necklace as she tried to decide what to do. Her father's people were known for their gifts of prophecy, though some were more gifted than others, but Hadassah had never experienced a true prophetic dream or foreshadowing probably because of her mother's Nymph blood. And, it could just be another side effect of her pregnancy, Lion knew she had plenty of strange dreams in the last months of her other pregnancies. Yet...yet she couldn't bring herself to dismiss the dream out of hand.

Hadassah sighed as she glanced over to see Lew wrapped in the covers, one arm over his eyes, as he snored. She couldn't dismiss the dream, but...she was afraid of what it meant. She had an awful feeling it was foreshadowing her death.

The wind picked up a little and she could smell the salt in the air and hear the faint cries of the gulls, both Talking and non, in the distance. The familiar scent and sounds helped soothe her. Looking up she spotted Spearhead and, beyond him, she could see Alambil, though her path was not as high nor her dance so strong as it had been in years past. Years of learning the dances of the stars and their meanings from her father only told Hadassah the same thing that Centaurs like her father had been seeing for decades: a time of hardship was coming to Narnia. She placed a hand against her belly and couldn't keep from smiling as she felt the baby kicking merrily away through her silk nightgown. Her smile faded as she recalled the dream and she finally reached her decision.

Hadassah closed the window and then she slipped into the parlor as quietly as possible so as not to disturb Lew. She wanted her parents' counsel. Asbolus and Keziah were supposed to come to Cair Paravel in a few weeks anyway so they would be here for the birth, but she wanted them to come sooner. She needed them to come sooner, as soon as possible really. Sitting at her desk, Hadassah lit a single candle then pulled out her stationary. She hesitated a moment then dipped her quill in the inkwell and began to craft the letter. _Dear Mama..._

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Leave a review below and let me know what y'all think about this story.**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: Less than ten years before the White Witch conquers Narnia, tragedy struck the royal family and in its midst, Aslan reminded them that life goes on...

A/N: This is part of my _A Light in the Darkness_ universe and it is part of my Pre-Winter story cycle and ties in with _Praying for the Children_. I recommend reading _Praying for Children_ first, but you can give this one a whirl on its own too.

**Part One**

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17 Mayblossom 889

Asbolus watched in silence as Keziah paced through their chambers and once again went over the letter their daughter had sent four days earlier. Keziah had already worn the creases of the letter smooth. She stopped mid-step and looked at him with a mix of frustration and concern in her eyes. "Her letter doesn't make any sense, Asbolus. She says she wants us to come early, but doesn't say why. She hardly says anything. Nothing about Lew, or their sons, or any of the other chatter she usually includes in her letters. This letter is not like Hadassah at all!"

He knew. That was why they left their home in the southwestern part of Narnia and set out for Cair Paravel within an hour of receiving the letter. Asbolus moved to close the distance between Keziah and himself as she lowered the letter and brushed at her skirts in an attempt to regain control over her emotions. He reached out and tilted his wife's chin up as he slid his other hand into her hair, "Keziah, we will not know what is going on until she tells us, which she will when we see her today. And, when you find out what she's up to, then you will also have the chance to scold her for worrying her mother by not chattering and sending cryptic messages." She started to smile and he continued drily, "Not to mention, Pholus and Petraeus are both here, so you can guilt all three of our children at once. You haven't been able to do that in two years."

Keziah smacked him on the arm and stepped back, "You make me sound like a horrible mother."

Asbolus chuckled, "Not horrible, terrifying. You put the fear of Aslan in our children. And, they seem to have turned out well because of it."

Keziah shook her finger at him, "You are terrible." But, Asbolus noticed she didn't protest when he pulled her close again so he could kiss her. After four days of worrying, she finally relaxed as the kiss deepened briefly and she leaned further into his embrace.

He broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers, "Don't worry, Keziah, we will be able to handle whatever Hadassah comes to us with...after all, we handled her falling in love with Lew."

Keziah laughed, "Oh yes, after you embarrassed your daughter terribly by threatening the crown prince when you first found out he was interested in her and this was before your sons threatened him individually and then together."

Asbolus shrugged, "If he hadn't come back, she would have forgiven me eventually and he would not have deserved her."

Keziah leaned back and raised an eyebrow, "Oh really? And, does that mean you think he deserves her now?"

Asbolus didn't even blink as he simply stated, "No." He smirked when Keziah just shook her head at him. He held his hand out to her, "Let's go find Hadassah. She should be having breakfast about now."

They finally found Hadassah in one of the smaller private gardens. Asbolus hid a frown when he noticed that she looked exhausted as she spoke to her youngest son. Neither Hadassah nor Leith had realized he and Keziah had joined them yet. "Leith, you must listen to your teachers and I do mean all of them, do you understand?"

Leith sighed, "Yes, Mama. Can I go now? Liam said he was going to show me a new way to block Levi's attack flurries that even Lieutenant Cadfael approves of."

Hadassah leaned back in her chair and nodded, "Go."

Leith swiped at the unruly brown hair hanging in front of his eyes before he hopped up from his seat only to backtrack and plant a kiss on his mother's cheek before he ran out the garden's other gate. Asbolus exchanged an amused glance with Keziah before he broke the barely settled silence, "What was that about, daughter?"

Hadassah looked over her shoulder at them and smiled. "Apparently, etiquette is boring, Da." She paused then gave them a mischievous grin as she whispered, "He's right."

Asbolus laughed, "Second one to think that, Hadassah."

"Actually he's the third, Da. You're forgetting the entire six month period that Llewellyn found etiquette boring...until he met Melissa." Hadassah smiled for a moment, and then she looked from him to her mother. "Join me for a walk?"

He met Keziah's gaze for a split second before he stepped forward and helped Hadassah out of her chair. It was odd how she neatly avoided mentioning what had been troubling her enough for her to send the letter. Keziah narrowed her eyes at their daughter until Hadassah ducked her head a little to whisper in her ear. Asbolus didn't know what she said but it was enough to make Keziah nod as she linked arms with their daughter and they began walking. He only half-listened as Keziah and Hadassah began chattering about all the news they hadn't already shared..._and_ some they had.

Asbolus didn't say a word as he noticed the Leopard Captain Sekhmet appear briefly as she shadowed their movements along with a Faun archer and a Wolf. Lew had become more insistent about Hadassah's guard after Fell Beasts had murdered his parents, Queen Swanwhite and Prince Consort Lev. Nearly twenty-five years later, he knew Hadassah and Lew still disagreed at times over how many guards she needed when at the Cair, which was why he was surprised there were only three guards...until Pholus and Petraeus caught up with them just as they left through Cair Paravel's main gate. Well, three Centaurs were an effective guard, even if his sons were the only ones in armor and it was unlikely any Fell Beasts would get past the outer watch.

Hadassah and Keziah seemed content to continue chattering for a while until Hadassah moved her hand slightly, signaling Sekhmet and the two other guards to do a large sweep of the area. She turned and glared at her brothers, "Who invited you?"

Asbolus glanced at Keziah who was trying not to laugh as Pholus took his sister's challenge. "Stonebrook saw you and let us know that you were trying to sneak out of the Cair with less than your minimum assigned guard...again. Unless you _wanted_ to get into another argument with Lew and lectured by Tuulea...again."

Asbolus and Keziah pinned their children with identical stern gazes as they chorused, "What?"

Petraeus cleared his throat, "Hadassah had a free moment last week and she went with Leith to hunt for sea shells on the beach...without any of her guard. They came back just as the alarm was raised after Lew found out Hadassah was missing."

Hadassah crossed her arms and muttered, "I was not missing. They overreacted. And, apparently I am not allowed to go down to the beach with my son."

Pholus snorted, "And, I'm sure Tuulea's reaction in particular had nothing to do with the fact that you are eight months pregnant, 'Dassah."

Keziah interrupted before Hadassah could argue further, "That's enough, out of both of you. Pholus, Petraeus, go make sure no one eavesdrops on your father and I's conversation with your sister." Their sons immediately obeyed. Asbolus raised an eyebrow when Keziah glanced at him. He had no intention of stepping in when she had already nipped their children's argument before it progressed beyond the initial stage. Keziah turned back to Hadassah, "You will explain your letter now."

As soon as Hadassah looked uncertain, Asbolus knew that whatever was troubling his daughter would be very different from anything she had come to them about in the past. "I...I've been having a dream, the same one every night for almost eight weeks now and I don't think it's a normal dream."

Asbolus held up a hand and asked, "How many times does the dream occur?"

Hadassah brushed her hair back, "It...it varies from night to night."

He felt a growing sense of unease as he pressed for the details. Yes, the dream had steadily increased in its nightly occurrences as the weeks progressed. No, the dream never changed in detail. It felt different from any other dream she had ever had, like a foreshadowing. No, she didn't know what, if anything, had triggered it. No, Lew didn't know about her dream. Asbolus hesitated as he met his daughter's blue eyes, the details she had provided were coming together to create a disconcerting picture, a picture about which he prayed to Aslan he would be mistaken. "You're right, it is not a normal dream. It seems you've been given a prophetic foreshadowing of an event that appears to be tied with the upcoming birth of your child, but I cannot determine the exact meaning. Hadassah, until the birth, you should stay close to the Cair." He paused and waved for Pholus and Petraeus to rejoin them before he continued, "We should probably head back now."

Hadassah slowly nodded as she rested her hands on her belly, "All right, Da. But first, let me walk with Mama for just a few minutes, please?"

"Why?"

Hadassah shrugged a little, "I want to ask her something about the baby."

Her tone told him that she would not go into details with anyone other than Keziah. Pholus still gave his sister an incredulous look, "This is your sixth pregnancy. What's left to ask?"

Asbolus had to grin as Hadassah retorted, "As the only unmarried person here, Pholus, you are not allowed to have an opinion on the matter. Besides Sekhmet, Colyer, and Canute are all forming the perimeter, so I will have my guard and still be able to talk to Mama privately."

He glanced at Keziah and she gave a barely perceptible nod. Apparently, she shared his feeling that Hadassah's question about the baby also tied in with her dream. Asbolus hesitated a moment longer then shook his head as he conceded defeat and looked at Keziah since she would actually mind the time. "Meet us back here in ten minutes."

Both Pholus and Petraeus looked doubtful as Keziah left arm in arm with Hadassah heading toward a stream that curved a little further north around some bushes. Asbolus folded his arms across his chest and studied Petraeus before asking, "How is Briarwind?"

His youngest son grew pensive at the mention of his wife before he shrugged, "She is better than she was last week and last week she was better than she was a fortnight ago. But, right now, she still prefers to stay in our quarters."

Asbolus nodded, such behavior wasn't unexpected for a young Centauress who had suffered through a premature labor and stillbirth just over a fortnight ago. He knew Keziah was planning to go see Briarwind that evening to talk to her and to listen if she was willing to talk. "Tuulea is checking on her?"

"Every day."

"And, you?"

Pholus spoke up, "Stonebrook checks on him every day and I check on him every other day."

Petraeus gave his older brother a friendly shove before he responded, "We're getting through it, Da. It's just right now, Briarwind doesn't have a lot to keep her occupied since we were supposed to head home tomorrow if...well, if it hadn't happened."

Asbolus was about to respond when Sekhmet emerged from the underbrush, "Captain Sekhmet, why are you here?"

The Leopard tilted her head in confusion, "You didn't summon me?"

A sense of dread swept over Asbolus as he breathed, "No. Who told you I did?"

"Canute Windwolf. Asbolus, why would-"

Sekhmet cut herself off as screams filled the air. Asbolus dropped his hand to the pommel of his claymore as he galloped toward the screams of his wife and daughter with his sons and Sekhmet right behind him. _No, Aslan, please no, not this, anything but this, I beg Thee._ He drew his claymore and galloped into the little clearing by the stream just as the screams ceased. Keziah and Hadassah were both on the ground, with Hadassah nestled between Keziah and a large fallen tree that stretched across the eastern side of the clearing and over the stream...and six Fell were closing in on them. He immediately cut down two Ghouls hovering near Keziah while Sekhmet tackled a Werewolf away from Hadassah. Pholus and Petraeus thundered past chasing Canute Windwolf and two Satyrs out of the clearing. Asbolus scanned the clearing to confirm the Fell had already been driven back before he rapidly cleaned his claymore and sheathed it. He carefully lowered himself to the ground beside Keziah, shouting, "Sekhmet, tell Pholus to get back here."

The Leopard captain nodded then ran off with a low growl. Asbolus touched Keziah's side and groaned as his hand came away soaked with her blood. It looked like she had somehow managed to stay between Hadassah and their attackers. He leaned closer as he realized what he wasn't hearing, "Keziah." She didn't answer and his hand shook as he brushed her black hair away from where it was obscuring her face. Her eyes were open, but there was no spark of life in their dark blue depths. "No. Aslan, no."

Hadassah. That was the only thought that kept him going as he closed Keziah's eyes and then moved her body with utmost tenderness so he could reach their daughter. Hadassah was on the ground just behind where Keziah had been laying with her eyes closed but he could see she was breathing. The front of her dress was cover in blood though and he couldn't tell if it hers or Keziah's. "Hadassah. Hadassah, open your eyes. Open your eyes, my filly."

He reached out to touch her face as her eyelids fluttered open only to stop when he realized both his hands and forearms were covered in Keziah's blood, instead he quickly shifted his hands down to keep Hadassah from seeing them right away. She seemed disoriented and it took her longer than it should have for her to focus on him. "Da?"

Pholus galloped into the clearing right after she spoke. He was speaking before he even came to a halt, "Colyer is dead, probably Canute's work." He looked down and gasped as the scene fully registered with him.

Asbolus looked from him to Hadassah as she tried to sit up. He reached out to help her and noticed the bloodstains were growing, confirming his fear that she too had been wounded. She hissed in pain and both Centaurs gasped as they caught sight of her right side. Asbolus stopped her when she tried to move again, "No, don't...do not move, Hadassah."

Her eyes focused on him and then she raised her right hand, staring at the blood covering it for less than a heartbeat before she looked down and gasped as she caught sight of the dagger hilt sticking out of her belly. She glanced back up, "My dream." Her eyes widened in horror, "Da, the baby."

Asbolus murmured, "Hush, don't assume the worse." He prayed fervently that the worse hadn't already happened.

Pholus moved in closer and accepted Hadassah as Asbolus gently lifted her into his waiting arms, taking care to avoid bumping the dagger. Pholus whispered, "Easy, 'Dassah. Another trip to Tuulea for you, little sister."

Asbolus held his son's gaze, silently conveying just how dire the situation was for her. Pholus nodded, and then tightened his hold on Hadassah as much as he dared before he launched into a flat-out gallop back toward Cair Paravel. _Please, Aslan, please let him bring her to Tuulea in time, please. Don't let us lose Hadassah and the baby too._ He leaned down and scooped Keziah's limp body into his arms, cradling her close as he set out for the Cair at a gallop, only there would be nothing Tuulea could do for Keziah. He raced into the courtyard and judging by the shouts and running soldiers, Pholus and Hadassah's passage had definitely been noticed. He paused in his gallop as he realized he couldn't take Keziah to the healers...and he didn't know where else... "Asbolus! Asbolus, bring her here."

He twisted around to see Stonebrook standing just outside the healers' wing. He shook his head, unable to find the words to tell his friend what had happened. Stonebrook stepped closer, "Bring her in here, Asbolus."

Asbolus silently followed as Stonebrook led the way to a small curtained off corner, one of the junior healers moved toward them but Stonebrook waved him off as Asbolus gently laid Keziah down on the raised cot. Stonebrook gave him a measuring look, "Tuulea is with Hadassah right now. You should be there for your daughter."

Asbolus gave a curt nod then forced himself to leave. He galloped through the halls up to Lew and Hadassah's quarters. Hadassah needed him, even if all he could do was stay in the room with her while it all played out to whatever end. He entered just as Tuulea finished her initial examination, she glanced up at him and he gave a single shake of his head. The Black Elder Nymph stiffened and he saw the glint of pained grief in her eyes before she hid it. She and Keziah had grown up together... Lew burst into the room and Asbolus moved slightly to the side as the King of Narnia hurried in, still in full armor from training. His gloves fell to the floor as he went stock-still as he took in Hadassah's battered and bloody appearance, "You can help them, Tuulea?"

Tuulea looked down at Hadassah who had opened her eyes again. Asbolus felt the band of dread and grief tighten around his heart as the healer shook her head, "I cannot save both, only one or the other...and neither is guaranteed." Lew sagged against the bedpost...Asbolus wanted to do the same.

Instead, he watched silent and immobile as Lew straightened then made the harshest statement he had ever heard his son-in-law utter, "Save Hadassah."

"No." Asbolus bowed his head as Hadassah gasped again, "No. Tuulea, save the baby. Whatever it takes, you must save the baby."

He couldn't see Lew's face, but he could see how Lew's knuckles turned completely white as he choked the bedpost and hear the strain in his voice as he hissed, "Hadassah."

Hadassah was already shaking her head, "No, Lew. Not my life instead of the baby's, I won't let that decision be made by anyone, not even you, my love."

Asbolus stepped forward as Lew slammed his fist against the bedpost. "So, between the Fell, traitors, and that babe, I must lose you? No, Aslan...Aslan would not demand you too. He could not. Hadassah, the babe may be dead already. You can't sacrifice your life when you don't even know- You don't even know if the sacrifice will succeed." Lew abruptly slammed his fist again and roared, "This is too much!" He spun and stormed from the room just as Asbolus reached out to grab him, to remind him of where he was and what he needed to do.

Pholus glanced in the room and Asbolus motioned for him to follow Lew. Pholus immediately left...Asbolus sighed, at least his son would make sure Lew didn't do anything too stupid in his rage and grief. He turned back to see Tuulea was feeling Hadassah's belly with a faint frown, she looked from him to Hadassah, "You're already in labor." Hadassah nodded and Asbolus knew why she was being so insistent that Tuulea focus on saving the baby, no matter the cost. Tuulea moved briskly around the room from where she had placed her healing kit to the bed and back. "Then we can't wait any longer to remove the dagger, otherwise if by the grace of Aslan it missed the baby, we run a new risk of the contractions causing the blade to do even more damage."

Dione ran in just as Tuulea finished the painstaking task of removing the dagger while also monitoring the progress of Hadassah's labor. The younger sister of the late Queen Swanwhite took her place at the head of the bed, quietly encouraging Hadassah as Tuulea cast Asbolus a wide-eyed look over her shoulder before she told Hadassah it was time to push. Asbolus watched fearful of what it meant by Hadassah's labor progressing so much faster than any of the previous pregnancies, what did it mean for the baby and what did it mean for Hadassah...he didn't know. Instead, he just prayed to Aslan that Hadassah's sacrifice would be worth it, that the baby would survive. Less than two hours after the attack, Tuulea was holding a tiny baby. Asbolus finally moved, following as Tuulea carefully examined the newborn. He watched out of the corner of his eye as he at last washed the dried blood off his hands and forearms...he had forgotten it was there. Tuulea whispered, "A daughter...Hadassah has her little girl and she's healthy, praise Aslan."

He looked down at the tiny infant who so far hadn't cried and frowned slightly. She was so small...smaller than her brothers were as newborns and smaller even than Hadassah had been when she was born. "Are you sure? The others were bigger when they were born and she is very small by comparison, Tuulea."

"Being born three weeks early will have that effect, Asbolus."

He nodded and then Dione called them. He watched and felt his heart was breaking even further as he listened to his daughter give her first and last blessing for her daughter. Holding his granddaughter, Asbolus barely managed to finish the ancient blessing he had given to his children and then to each of Hadassah's sons when they were born as his tears finally spilled and he gently pressed a kiss against the babe's forehead. He looked back at Hadassah and knew before Tuulea or Dione said anything that she was now in Aslan's country...with her mother. He allowed Dione to take his granddaughter then he leaned down and pressed one last kiss against Hadassah's temple. The baby she had named 'Alambiel' was back in Tuulea's arms when he straightened. "Dione went to open the nursery."

Alambiel...a new responsibility. He poured fresh water into the waiting bowl and splashed his tears away. Turning back to Tuulea, Asbolus gently ran his finger along the side of Alambiel's face, "She will live?"

Tuulea nodded, "Yes, there seem to be no ill effects from the circumstances of her birth, at least none that I can detect. The most challenging prospect at the moment is finding someone who can nurse her that we can trust completely."

Asbolus paused then he barely whispered, "Briarwind."

Tuulea looked thoughtful then nodded, "Yes, it would work and she would die before betraying family...it will also help her at the same time."

Asbolus took a breath and then let it out slowly. "I will send her to you before I inform the colts about their mother." He did not look forward to explaining what happened to any of his grandsons, but he knew the worst would probably be Leith since he had seen his mother alive and well only three and a half hours earlier. Nevertheless, glancing back once more to see Tuulea cradling his tiny granddaughter, Asbolus wondered if Alambiel would not turn into a reminder from Aslan for her hurting family that life goes on.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, so this is probably going to be the most tragic of the story chapters. Lots of hurt and comfort ahead, but I promise the ending will be happy. Leave a review below and let me know what y'all think about this chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: Less than ten years before the White Witch conquers Narnia, tragedy struck the royal family and in its midst, Aslan reminded them that life goes on...

A/N: This is part of my _A Light in the Darkness_ universe and it is part of my Pre-Winter story cycle and ties in with _Praying for the Children_. I recommend reading _Praying for Children_ first, but you can give this one a whirl on its own too.

**Part Two**

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Asbolus quickly trotted from the royal wing down to where Briarwind and Petraeus lived in the barracks assigned to married soldiers. He fought back the urge to shudder at the chill thought of how treachery had found its way into the Royal Guard and shoved back his grief as much as he could. He was still needed to act as an elder, advisor, and grandfather. Later...later he would allow himself to grieve, but not yet. He rapped sharply on the doors to his youngest son's living quarters. Briarwind opened the door almost immediately and her already somewhat pale features whitened completely when she saw his expression. He could hear the stark fear in her voice as she breathed, "Petraeus?"

Asbolus rushed to soothe his daughter-in-law's fear, "No, not Petraeus. But, Tuulea requires your assistance."

Sheer relief flashed in Briarwind's eyes before confusion appeared, "Why would Tuulea need me? I'm trained as a cartographer not a healer. Wouldn't one of the other healers be better suited?"

For such a soft-spoken and rather shy filly, Briarwind had no difficulty making her opinion known when she thought something else would be of greater benefit. Still, Asbolus could not bring himself to mention the details. It was not safe to speak of such news in the open yet, not when betrayal had come from within and there was no way of knowing who might be listening. "Tuulea needs you and I'll let her explain why. Will you go to her?"

Briarwind bit her lip in hesitation before she reluctantly nodded. Asbolus stepped back to allow her to join him in the corridor, "You will find Tuulea in the royal wing." Briarwind actually paled a little further at the thought of going up to the royal wing and Asbolus wondered if she would ever get use to the idea that by marrying Petraeus, she was now kin by marriage to the Narnian royal family. But, in spite of her nerves, the young Centauress set out at a swift trot for the main palace.

Relieved she was going, Asbolus turned to the far less pleasant task of informing his grandsons of their mother's passing. To be honest, he dreaded the task ahead but...but it would be better they hear it from him and not from anyone else. He paused as he left the barracks and spied Lieutenant Cadfael speaking with Selene, one of the junior scribes. Asbolus trotted over to them, causing them to immediately fall silent. Selene looked at him then, with a light touch to Cadfael's arm, the perceptive Centauress inclined her head respectfully to Asbolus and trotted off. Cadfael looked at Asbolus expectantly and he obliged, "Lieutenant, have my grandsons finished their training for the morn?"

Cadfael nodded, "Yes, I dismissed them half an hour ago." Cadfael paused then lowered his voice as he asked, "Asbolus, what has happened?"

Asbolus made the immediate decision to include the senior officer of the Royal Guard and he nodded toward the palace. "Come, I need to speak with my grandsons and you should be present as well. I do not wish to repeat myself any more than necessary."

Entering the palace, he found two pages and sent one to fetch his grandsons and the other to summon Stonebrook. Then he and Cadfael made their way to wait in one of the smaller council rooms as he did not want to draw any unnecessary attention to this meeting. They did not have long to wait before all six of his grandsons entered the room with Stonebrook right behind them. Llewellyn barely waited for the doors to shut before he asked what everyone in the room, save for Asbolus, had to have been thinking. "Grandda, what in the name of Aslan is going on? Why did Da leave training only to rush off with a company of soldiers? What has happened?"

Asbolus took a breath, stealing himself for the impact his words were certain to have on the colts. "There was an attack this morn." The colts exchanged confused looks and Asbolus forced himself to continue, "Your mother was the target." All six of his grandsons paled and he heard Cadfael stir behind him, only Stonebrook didn't react since he already knew as much.

Llewellyn ran his hand through his inky black hair, "But, how? How could the attack target Mama? They would have had to be well inside the outer watch."

Asbolus nodded solemnly, "They were and it was due to a traitor among your mother's guard that they were able to attack her as well as...as well as your grandmother. The traitor killed one of the other guards and sent Captain Sekhmet a false message to make them as vulnerable as possible. As soon as we realized what was happening, we went to their aid. However, your grandmother was killed protecting your mother who suffered serious injuries as well."

Llewellyn opened his mouth but no words came out instead it was Liam who shakily asked, "But, Tuulea...Tuulea has healed her right? Grandda, she's going to be all right, isn't...isn't she?"

They were looking at him with worried hope that he would be able to ease their fear, but he could offer no such comfort. Asbolus bowed his head then met each of his grandson's eyes, "Your mother has passed on but-"

Leith cut him off with a shout, "No!"

Asbolus raised his hand, "Leith, let me-"

Leith backed up and he could see the tears the colt was trying to hide as he shook his head. "No! You're wrong. You made a mistake. She's alive. I just saw her a few hours ago! I saw her!"

Leith turned and bolted out of the room. Liam started after him, but Asbolus stopped him, "No, let him go. He needs some time."

Liam glanced at him then at his brothers before nodding. Llewellyn let out a shaky breath before he met Asbolus' gaze, "There's something else isn't there?"

Asbolus nodded, "You should know that although your mother died from her injuries, Tuulea managed to save the babe."

The colts stilled completely then Levi finally broke the silence, "And he's going to live?"

"Tuulea believes that _she_ will survive." Asbolus couldn't help the faint smile at the utter shock on his grandsons' faces. Apparently, the idea that the babe would be a filly had never even occurred to them.

Stonebrook finally spoke, "Who was the traitor?"

Asbolus glanced from his friend to where Cadfael had moved closer at the mention of the traitor and finally to where his grandsons were again listening closely. They wanted to know who killed their mother. "Canute Windwolf."

Cadfael slammed his hoof against the floor hard but didn't say anything though the thunderous look of fury was more than sufficient to communicate his opinion of the Wolf and once fellow officer. Llewellyn shook his head, "Canute...a senior officer of the Royal Guard turned traitor." His tone was bitter then he rubbed his hand through his hair again, "Does Da know who was responsible?" Asbolus nodded. "Ah yes, that's why he took the company to hunt the attackers down." Lllewellyn paused again and Asbolus could tell his eldest grandson was thinking of the implications of the news. "Grandda, Stonebrook, Lieutenant Cadfael, we have to handle this situation carefully but I am not sure how to go about it. We can't keep people from finding out about the deaths, but can we afford to let them know that it was a targeted assassination of the Queen Consort?"

"How do we know Mama was the target?" They all turned to look at Leathan, who shrugged, "I mean that is how we're approaching it but what if she wasn't the target or at least not the main target? It's not like anyone could have missed the fact that Mama was pregnant."

Asbolus frowned as he thought over the attack and more specifically, the details of Hadassah's dream. "You might be correct, Leathan. But, if the babe was the intended target instead of your mother, we should keep the information that she survived close."

Llewellyn exchanged a look with Leathan then he turned back to the Centaurs, "Then, we'll allow the royal banner to be lowered to half-mast and have the mourning pennants unfurled. We will tell the people that the Queen Consort and her mother, Lady Keziah, were murdered during a surprise Fell attack, but we will say nothing about the baby. Aslan willing, the party or parties responsible will assume the baby died in the attack as well."

Asbolus and Stonebrook both nodded. It seemed like a sound plan. Levi frowned then, "But, how are we going to keep the staff from finding out about her? It would take only one good cry for her to let everyone in range know there's a baby in the royal wing and as far as they know there aren't any babies who are supposed to be there. Llewellyn's the only one married and his son isn't even in the Cair right now."

Asbolus folded his arms as he spoke, "You can follow the same pattern your parents used when Swanwhite and Lev were killed. You are too young to remember, Llewellyn, but when Swanwhite and Lev were killed your parents closed down the Royal Wing, only family and a select number of both advisors and the Royal Guard were allowed into the wing for a sennight. The staff were allowed to come up to the level two down from the Royal Wing and no closer."

The colts exchanged another long look with each other and then the five of them nodded. A timid rap on the door revealed a nervous young Rabbit page waiting to remind the five elder princes that they were all supposed to be in a trade meeting that started in less than fifteen minutes. Asbolus watched as all but Llewellyn immediately left. Llewellyn quietly issued an order, "Lieutenant Cadfael, I would like you to start going over each member of the Royal Guard's record. Find the ones we can trust to be loyal to Narnia and to Aslan...and who can guard the new princess without revealing their knowledge that she survived the attack on my mother. We need new guards in place before the Royal Wing is closed. When Captain Sekhmet and Captain Sunstorm return, they can take over...but until then you're the only senior officer of the Royal Guard in the Cair I know we can trust."

Lieutenant Cadfael bowed, "I will see to the matter until I am relieved." Llewellyn nodded then he respectfully inclined his head to both Asbolus and Stonebrook before leaving with Cadfael following close behind him.

Stonebrook walked over to Asbolus and rested his hand on his shoulder, "I will send to Shadeflint and ask him to make the journey to Cair Paravel." Asbolus nodded. He prayed the Centaur seer would bring news of comfort if not hope for his family. Stonebrook quietly continued, "Asbolus, my friend, you need to let yourself grieve."

"I know and I will, but not now."

"Then, what are you going to do?"

Asbolus sighed, "I'm going to find Leith."

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Leave a review below and tell me what y'all think about this chapter.**

**A/N2: Okay, so there was some confusion about who's who and who's what. So, here's the rundown: **

**Lew is the King of Narnia and is Human (not full-blooded but at least enough to make him count as a Son of Adam). **

**He married Hadassah who was a Nymph, hence she has the Human appearance. **

**Hadassah's father is the Centaur Asbolus and her mother was Keziah, a Black Elder Nymph. **

**Hadassah's brothers are Pholus and Petraeus, both Centaurs, and Petraeus is married to Briarwind also a Centaur.**

**Hopefully, this will help clear things up a bit. If you have any further questions, please include them in your review or send me a PM and I shall do my best to answer.**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: Less than ten years before the White Witch conquers Narnia, tragedy struck the royal family and in its midst, Aslan reminded them that life goes on...

A/N: This is part of my _A Light in the Darkness_ universe and it is part of my Pre-Winter story cycle and ties in with _Praying for the Children_. I recommend reading _Praying for Children_ first, but you can give this one a whirl on its own too.

**Part Three**

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Briarwind hesitated before she turned the last corner leading to the royal wing. Taking a breath, she tried to look confident as she turned the corner and passed the guards even though she had been there only once before...and that had been with Petraeus right beside her with one large hand at her elbow as he took her to see his sister when Hadassah had insisted on meeting the Centauress who had caught her brother's eye. She hesitated again when she realized she wasn't completely certain which of the rooms Tuulea would be in...wonderful, she was a cartographer and she was lost without having taken more than five steps. Admittedly, she had never studied the building diagrams for Cair Paravel since her work was focused more on mapping Narnian land and creating up-to-date maps for the army's use, but still cartographers should never become lost or at least not so quickly. Fortunately, Tuulea stepped out from one of the rooms near the very end of the corridor before the guards suspected she was lost. Briarwind quickly moved toward her, still wondering what it was the healer wanted with her.

Tuulea held her hand up, so Briarwind didn't ask any questions as she followed the Black Elder Nymph to another room. She frowned a little as she looked around the room and realized it was a nursery with Princess Dione standing by the cradle in the far corner. The princess looked up at their entrance and nodded to Tuulea, "I'll go make sure the attendants have finished their tasks properly." She looked remarkably sad as she said that, but Briarwind didn't know why and Tuulea didn't give her a chance to inquire after the matter.

"Briarwind, there is something I must tell you and there is also something I must ask." Tuulea actually hesitated and Briarwind flicked her tail as she waited for the healer to speak, "Hadassah and Keziah were attacked a few hours ago."

Briarwind stared at Tuulea in silent disbelief...did Petraeus know about his mother and sister? A soft mewling sound caught her attention and she turned toward the cradle as Tuulea fell silent again. She could feel the healer's gaze on her as she crossed the room to peer inside the cradle. She stopped short when she caught sight of the tiny occupant. She had never actually seen a Human baby before but the tiny foal looked fragile. The foal made a little sound again and she reached one hand down only to stop short of actually touching the little one. She looked at Tuulea, "This is why you asked for me?"

Tuulea nodded, "Hadassah is dead as is Keziah and her daughter needs a wet nurse but the Royals have been betrayed from within. This has created difficulty, to say the least. We have to protect the baby and Asbolus will not tolerate anyone whose loyalty cannot be known for certain. You are family, Briarwind, and would you ever do anything to hurt Petraeus or that little one?"

Briarwind shifted, drawing her hand back as she shook her head, "I...I can't do it, Tuulea. Please pick someone else. I can't do it, not after losing my own foal, I just can't, I'm sorry." She backed away from the cradle still shaking her head as another thought occurred to her, "And, what would Petraeus think? Or, the King? Oh, I can't, Tuulea, I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Her face burned with shame as Tuulea didn't quite hide her disappointment fully, but the thought of nursing a foal that wasn't her own just reminded her of her loss and she couldn't imagine doing it. The healer nodded, "I understand, Briarwind. Believe me, I understand. It will be all right, I will find someone else."

A thin wail came from the cradle and Briarwind found herself automatically stepping forward as every instinct urged her to soothe the foal because she had what the little one needed most. She forced herself to stop and Tuulea cast her a look full of understanding as she stepped past her to lift the foal out of the cradle. Briarwind sucked in a breath and felt her face heat with embarrassment this time as her body responded to the little one's insistent yet still quiet cries. She held out her arms before she could change her mind, "Let me try."

Tuulea gently placed the foal in her arms and silently showed her how to properly hold her before the healer stepped back. Briarwind cast Tuulea an uncertain look then she took a breath and unlaced the front of her tunic. It didn't take long before the little one was nursing with such eagerness it was as though she had been starving. Briarwind stroked the tiny filly's downy hair with her fingertips before she looked at Tuulea, "How will this work?"

Tuulea walked past her to a door she hadn't noticed before, "You and Petraeus will stay in this room that way you'll be able to hear her if she cries at night. The main concern right now is making sure she gains more weight than she loses and to keep her from getting sick, so make sure none of the windows are open in the nursery."

Briarwind tilted her head as she considered how light the foal felt in her arms...perhaps it was not normal for Human babies to feel this light. "Is she not healthy?"

Tuulea propped her hands on her hips, "I have delivered more than my share of babies, including those born earlier than they were supposed to be, and she is one of the healthiest early babies I've ever delivered, especially considering the circumstances surrounding her birth. Aslan's protection was on her because she hasn't demonstrated any problems with breathing or nursing, indeed, the only sign that gives away her early arrival is her small size. However, that being said, common sense dictates that extra precautions be taken to ensure she stays healthy. Once we get past the first week, I'll be even more confident about her health. The first week, the first month, and then the first year...those are our milestones."

Briarwind's heart constricted at the thought of losing the foal, her niece, as she looked down to see her eyes were open and watching her face as she continued nursing. "First week, first month, first year, do you hear, little one? Those are your goals."

Tuulea touched her on the arm, "Hadassah named her Alambiel. I need to go check on Dione; will you be all right if I leave?" Briarwind nodded and Tuulea smiled then paused, "If she falls asleep while nursing, tickle her feet. We want her to eat as much as possible before she naps again."

Briarwind nodded again then looked back down at the little foal, the filly named Alambiel, as the healer slipped out of the nursery. Tuulea had been reassuring her for the past fortnight that her son being stillborn was not the result of anything she had done wrong, but she still hadn't been able to shake those feelings of guilt. Moreover, the loss of her foal had left an aching wound in her heart that even Petraeus hadn't been able to soothe though Lion knew he had tried. Holding her tiny, motherless niece who needed her so desperately, Briarwind finally felt that wound begin to heal as she swiped away a single tear before silently swearing that she would protect and care for Alambiel to the best of her abilities.

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Petraeus kicked a Coyote before he could bite him then he cut down another Ghoul. They had chased the Fell and the traitors straight to a small encampment. Fortunately, Lew, Pholus, and a company of soldiers under Captain Sunstorm had caught up with Captain Sekhmet and himself before they reached the camp. However, watching Lew slay the Fell with an icy fury, Petraeus was beginning to doubt the wisdom of having the King involved in this particular fight. A Werewolf leapt at him and raked his claws against Petraeus' right arm as he brought his sword up and stabbed the Fell Beast through the heart.

Lew suddenly unleashed a furious war cry and Petraeus turned in time to see him cut down a Satyr before cornering Canute Windwolf. The Wolf's jaws and neck were bloody and bore silent testament to his crimes, but the traitor still dared to beg for his own hide. "Mercy, my king. I had no choice."

"No choice?" Lew sounded as incredulous as Petraeus felt as he continued, "You were one of my most trusted soldiers, Canute. You were a senior officer among the Royal Guard. I trusted you to protect my family, my wife. And you-" Lew's voice broke as Petraeus and Pholus both edged closer to protect him from any other attacks while he dealt with the primary traitor. Lew pointed his sword at Canute and continued speaking in a hard voice, "You betrayed that trust in the most thorough of ways. You killed my wife. It is too late to beg for my mercy. I have none."

The traitorous Wolf barely had time to snarl before Lew ended his life. Petraeus exchanged a concerned look with Pholus as Lew charged back into the heart of the fray. "What did he mean about 'Dassah?"

Pholus shook his head, "Later."

Petraeus gave a curt nod then they both rejoined the battle. His concern over Lew's actions increased however as he witnessed the King slay two more traitors who begged for his mercy. Still, he and the other loyal Narnians continued to fight until all of the Fell were slain. Lew's armor was smudged with dirt and blood as he cleaned his sword and sheathed it before declaring, "We return to the Cair. Leave the bodies."

Captain Sunstorm looked sharply at the King, "Sire?"

Lew's voice was hard as stone as he repeated, "Leave the bodies. Traitors deserve no respect in life or death. They will serve as warning against future treachery."

The captain inclined his head clearly sensing that no one would be able to persuade the King to a different course of action. Petraeus and Pholus exchanged another concerned look as they watched Lew stride toward his horse. Petraeus sheathed his sword then winced as the wound to his arm burned in protest at his movement. Pholus took a step toward him, but he waved his brother off. The Werewolf hadn't struck deep enough for it to be considered as anything more than a bad scratch. Sekhmet was favoring her left forepaw and several others had earned bites and scratches, but none of their own had received any serious wounds and they had taken no casualties in the ensuing skirmish, thank Aslan.

As they entered the main courtyard of Cair Paravel in the fading afternoon light, Petraeus was shocked to see the royal banner at half-mast and the mourning pennants unfurled draping the pristine stone walls in black. He looked at Lew, but his brother-in-law just tightened his jaw as he silently handed off his horse to some Satyrs then he walked up the path to the main palace, leaving Captain Sunstorm to dismiss the soldiers. Stonebrook was waiting as Pholus and Petraeus approached the main palace...

_Why, Aslan? Why Hadassah and why Mama? Why must our family suffer such loss?_ Petraeus was silent even though his mind raced with questions. Pholus had gone to find their father, but he had made his way to the royal wing. He hesitated before opening the door to the nursery, he wanted to know if Hadassah's baby had survived the attack and this was the fastest way to find out. He stopped short at seeing his wife in the room, lowering a small bundle into the cradle. "Briarwind?"

She looked up and around at the sound of his voice. He didn't miss the relief that flashed across her face when she saw him. He closed the door behind him then met her halfway across the room. Petraeus kissed her then buried one hand in her chestnut hair as he rested his forehead against hers, "I didn't expect to find you in here. You don't have to be in here."

She drew back a little to look up at him, "I know. But, she needs me, Petraeus."

He raised an eyebrow, "She?"

Briarwind nodded with a faint smile as she pulled him by the hand toward the cradle, "Come meet Alambiel." He watched in silent wonder as Briarwind picked up the foal...his niece...and carefully placed her in his arms. He looked down at the sleeping babe and realized that while Briarwind's words were true, Alambiel did need Briarwind, it was also Briarwind who needed Alambiel and he hoped the newborn's presence would not only heal his wife, but also the rest of her hurting family.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! So, two new perspectives to let y'all know what was going on during and around the events of the last chapter. Next chapter we're back to Asbolus. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: Less than ten years before the White Witch conquers Narnia, tragedy struck the royal family and in its midst, Aslan reminded them that life goes on...

A/N: This is part of my _A Light in the Darkness_ universe and it is part of my Pre-Winter story cycle and ties in with _Praying for the Children_. I recommend reading _Praying for Children_ first, but you can give this one a whirl on its own too.

**Part Four**

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Asbolus sighed in relief when he finally found Leith. He had searched for several hours before he checked in a small garden that was rarely used by any of the inhabitants of Cair Paravel. He had started to fear the colt had left the relative safety of the walls of Cair Paravel. Now, he could see his youngest grandson kneeling in the middle of the garden. And, as he drew closer, he could see the colt was taking shaky breaths, struggling to keep from sobbing, as he clutched a wooden box to his chest. With the grass and flowers muffling the sound of his hooves, Asbolus knew his grandson didn't even know he was there until he was standing on top of him casting his shadow over the colt. Leith took a shuddering breath then tilted his head back to stare up at Asbolus. Asbolus' heart broke for the suffering, the grief, and the loss written on the young colt's face and in his tear-filled brown eyes before Leith ducked his head again...children should not lose a parent in the manner Hadassah had been taken.

Asbolus placed one dark hand on Leith's head before he carefully lowered himself to the ground. Once on the ground, however, Asbolus tilted his grandson's face to look at him and kept his voice gentle as he spoke, "Tell me, why you came here, Leith."

Leith's grip on the wooden box tightened before he answered in a low voice, "I was...I was looking for Mama. She likes this garden the most. She...she told me it reminds her of your home." Asbolus finally took his eyes off his grandson's face to give the garden a more thorough look. He sighed a little as he realized Hadassah had created an almost perfect replica of the meadow not far from their family home where he had often taken her and her brothers to teach them how to read the stars among other lessons... Leith suddenly sniffed as he furiously dashed some tears away sounding broken and younger than his years as he whispered, "I thought I could find her."

Asbolus gently grasped Leith's shoulder and wished he had a way to ease the pain. "I know you did." His gaze fell on the box Leith still clutched to his chest, "What's this?"

Leith leaned away from him a little as he sniffed again then loosened his death grip on the box to open the lid. "It's the seashells Mama and I picked up on the beach last week. I dropped the dangles for the crib when I was helping Mama finish getting the nursery ready and they broke, so we were going to make a new one out of the seashells and some of Uncle Pholus' carvings. It was going to be our project this week. Mama had everything picked out except for the seashells because we were going to do that tonight and...and..." Leith couldn't finish as large tears defied the colt's attempts to hold them back and rolled down his cheeks. Asbolus closed the lid and secured the box before Leith clutched it to himself again right before he lunged into Asbolus' arms with a broken sob. "I don't want her to be gone!"

Asbolus didn't say a word. Instead, he just wrapped his arms around his grandson and held him tight, ignoring the box digging into his side, as he listened to the colt's broken words about wanting his mother back. He held Leith and waited for the colt to finish crying himself out. Leith surprised him when he suddenly straightened and gave him a horrified look as more tears spilled and he hiccupped before gasping, "I...I didn't tell her I loved her this morn. I should have...should have-"

Leith choked on a sob and Asbolus pulled the colt back into his embrace as he whispered, "She knew, Leith. Your mother knew you loved her just as she knew each of your brothers loved her. And, she loved all of you with her whole heart. Never doubt that. Your mother knew you loved her, even without you saying it, believe me, she knew."

Leith sniffed again as his sobs finally slowed, leaning a little more heavily against Asbolus' left arm and shoulder as he quietly asked, "Why, Grandda, why did this happen?"

Asbolus sighed as he rubbed Leith's back before he answered, "I do not know, young one. It doesn't make any sense to me either." Oh, how he wished he could give the colt and the rest of their family some reason or explanation for why they had experienced the loss of Keziah and Hadassah, something that would ease the pain of losing them in such an abrupt and violent manner, but he had none. Oh Aslan...what could he say save to admit he didn't know either and that confession was of very little comfort to himself, much less the rest of his family.

It was twenty more minutes before Leith finally cried himself out save for a few stray tears. He straightened and finally moved the box that had been digging into Asbolus' ribs the entire time he held his grandson. Asbolus stayed silent, allowing the colt to gather his thoughts. Leith scrubbed his face with his sleeve and sniffed before he hesitantly asked, "Can...can we finish the project?"

Asbolus blinked, but that was all of his surprise he allowed to show, as he realized this was how Leith was going to say 'goodbye' to Hadassah. He nodded then rose to his feet, "Yes, we can."

Pholus found them just as they returned to the palace. Asbolus shook his head slightly in warning and his eldest son gave a curt nod before he fell into step with them, so now Leith was bracketed on either side by his uncle and grandfather. Asbolus could tell from Pholus' body language that he knew Hadassah and Keziah were both dead...he most likely had Stonebrook to thank for telling his sons the news. As soon as they entered the royal wing, Asbolus could see Cadfael's handiwork in the new faces that turned to see who approached before dismissing the three of them as belonging and allowing them to pass unchallenged.

Leith led them to a parlor not far from Lew and Hadassah's rooms where Hadassah had set out everything required for constructing the project on a table. Asbolus didn't miss the way Leith suddenly turned away from them to swipe at some fresh tears when he saw it or how Pholus' lips quirked in a bitter smile when he saw the wooden trinkets he had carved lined up for use. Then, with methodical care, the three of them went to work. The two Centaurs allowed Leith to have the final say on each piece they used and how they used it, and if the twelve-year-old Prince occasionally couldn't pick up the next piece without his hands shaking or occasionally paused to swipe away some more stray tears before he could continue, they never said a word about it.

Asbolus watched as Leith held up the finished project. The colt smiled a little for a brief moment before he lowered it again and just played with one of the strands of seashells and wooden trinkets, "What do I do with them now? The dangles are supposed to go over the cradle..."

Asbolus looked from Pholus to Leith, realizing they were the only ones in their family who didn't know because he was certain both Petraeus and Lew would have found out by now. He reached out and set a hand on Leith's shoulder, "I think your sister would appreciate them best if you hung them over the cradle for her."

Pholus' eyes widened in surprise but he didn't say anything as they both waited to see how Leith would react to the news. Asbolus watched the colt freeze then he looked strangely hopeful as he whispered, "I still get to be a big brother? I have a baby sister?"

Asbolus nodded, surprised at Leith's reaction before he recalled Keziah repeating something Hadassah had written about Leith growing truly excited about the baby once she stressed the fact that the new addition meant he would finally be a big brother and no longer qualify as the baby of the family. With seven years between himself and the twins and then fifteen years between himself and Llewellyn with Levi and Leathan falling in the ensuing gap, Leith had suffered the indignity of being the youngest colt with five elder brothers who had all done something before he ever got to it. So, once he got over his initial skepticism to the news that his parents were having another foal, Leith had begun laying plans for what _he_ was going to teach the newest addition to their family since he would finally be the voice of experience. He remembered Hadassah had thought it funny but was extremely grateful that they wouldn't have to worry so much about sibling rivalry, which was why she had also enlisted Leith's help the most when it came to getting the nursery ready. Leith picked up the project then looked at Asbolus, "Can we go hang this now? And, maybe we can see my baby sister too?"

A nod was all the encouragement necessary for Leith to head for the door. Asbolus suspected if the colt hadn't been holding the project that had turned into a gift for his new sister, he would have sprinted to the nursery. It seemed Leith was going to throw himself into the coveted role of big brother, and perhaps do so with even more enthusiasm than if the babe had been another colt instead of a filly. Wanting to see how his granddaughter was doing for himself, Asbolus followed in the colt's wake, but Pholus was called away by Cadfael and Sunstorm.

Asbolus felt a flicker of amusement when Leith's eager rush suddenly disappeared once he actually entered the nursery and saw both Briarwind and Petraeus in the room. The colt hesitated then he held up his gift for his aunt and uncle's inspection, "I brought the new dangles...we're supposed to hang them over the cradle because they..." Leith paused as he tried to remember what the actual purpose of dangles was before he gave up and turned to Asbolus, "Uh, Grandda, what exactly do they do?"

Asbolus hid a smile as he answered, "They help keep the babe from getting bored by giving her something interesting to look at when she's in the cradle."

Leith nodded, trying to sound like he understood the point of the explanation, "Right."

Petraeus chuckled then clarified further, "Bored foals tend to cry and fuss a lot, so those dangles are just what we need to make sure your sister doesn't cry or fuss a lot. Come over here and we'll hang them up."

Leith walked over to his uncle, then huffed in disgust when he realized he could barely see into the cradle, much less reach the bar and hook the dangles were supposed to hang from, due to the fact he still hadn't come into his growth spurt. Asbolus happened to know that Leith's current lack of height was a point of contention for the colt as his brothers, who were all over six feet tall, often took advantage of the opportunity to tease their youngest brother, but he suspected the colt would start shooting up like all his brothers before him in the next year or so. Still, Leith's current height and reach, or lack thereof, meant Petraeus had to lift him up to reach the bar and hook. Asbolus looked on in approval as Leith hung the dangles with Petraeus only raising a single hand to make sure they were completely secure and in no danger of falling into the cradle. Then, Leith carefully gave the dangles a little push to make them start slowly spinning. He looked down from where Petraeus was still holding him, taking advantage of his temporary vantage point, and Asbolus could hear the excitement in his voice as he quietly exclaimed, "She's smiling! She likes them!"

Briarwind smiled at Leith, "And, why wouldn't she? I'm sure Alambiel will love them even more as she gets older."

Leith gave Briarwind a contemplative look as Petraeus lowered him back to stand on his own feet. "She's named after a star?" He rose on the tips of his toes to peek into the cradle to see the babe who was watching them or maybe the spinning dangles with a definite hint of a smile. Asbolus' amusement grew as Leith looked back up at them then commented, "She's an awfully little star." Asbolus' amusement faded though as he recalled Hadassah calling Alambiel her 'little star' and he barely kept from giving in to the sudden wave of grief as he watched Alambiel's eyes start to close then open again.

Fortunately, both Briarwind and Petraeus' full attention was on Leith whose full attention was on Alambiel, allowing Asbolus to firmly tamp down on his emotions. Briarwind's soft voice was pitched just right to keep from disturbing the tiny filly overmuch as she continued to drift closer to sleep, "Would you like to hold her before she falls asleep again, Leith?"

Asbolus raised an eyebrow in surprise when Leith shook his head and settled back on his heels, "No, I have to go find Leb and Liam."

Petraeus glanced at him before he rumbled, "Why?"

"Leb bet Liam twenty Lions that the new baby would be another boy and he bet me two Trees. So, I have to tell Liam that we were right and Leb was wrong." Leith peeked in the cradle once more before he grinned, "Leb and Liam finally let me in on the bet after I promised not to tell Llewellyn or Levi…I don't think Leathan bet anything this time though. But, they only let me wager two Trees because that's all I had left from the spending money from our trip to Galma four months ago." Asbolus shook his head at hearing of the twins' antics while Petraeus smirked and Briarwind looked like she was questioning the sanity of her husband's family again. Leith paused at the nursery door and looked back at them, "Has anyone else come to see her yet?"

Briarwind shook her head with a faint smile, "No, you were the first of your brothers to come see Alambiel."

Leith looked cheerful at the news, and then he carefully shut the door as he left. Asbolus was pleased to see the colt had found a way to cope though he suspected there would be more tears shed in the days and weeks to come. He gazed down at his granddaughter, who still looked as tiny as when he had left her in Tuulea's arms but other than that, she seemed healthy enough. She had fallen asleep again with her little mouth moving in a slight sucking motion. He looked back up as Petraeus ran one of the strands of seashells and wooden trinkets through his fingers, "Pholus went to find you earlier."

Asbolus nodded, "He found me."

Briarwind withdrew to the room attached to the nursery, leaving them to speak in privacy. "And, you got him to help Leith with the dangles." Petraeus paused as he ran his thumb over a carving of a leopard, then he continued in an even softer voice as he gave the dangles a push to start them spinning again, "But, he didn't come in here with you and Leith."

Asbolus met Petraeus' gaze, "Do not blame your brother. He was called away by Cadfael and Sunstorm."

Petraeus shook his head, "I don't blame Pholus, Da. The problem is Pholus blames Pholus."

Asbolus nodded, "I know. Give him time. He'll probably be in here tonight at some point..." He trailed off then clasped his son on the shoulder, "I will check on your brother later. Now, tell me of what happened today." Stepping a little further away from the cradle so their voices wouldn't disturb the sleeping foal, Asbolus listened gravely as Petraeus described everything that happened including Lew's conversation with Canute Windwolf. He frowned as Petraeus described Lew's exact behavior...there would be consequences for his harshness this day, Asbolus just didn't know for certain what exact form those consequences would take.

Leaving the nursery, Asbolus frowned further when he spotted Dione doggedly following Lew and speaking to him in a low urgent tone. Lew was still wearing his bloodied and dirt-smudged armor when he spun to face his aunt and answered in a much louder tone. "I must do no such thing. And, I will not go in there or see it. Now, if you'll excuse me, what I _must_ do is change so I can meet with the army's head officers." Lew turned again and marched into the rooms he had shared with Hadassah, slamming the door behind him.

Asbolus met Dione's worried gaze before she turned and walked back down the hall. His frown deepened further still as he looked at the closed door behind which the King had retreated. However, Asbolus chose to leave things be for now, after all, it hadn't even been a full day since everything had happened. Still, he prayed Lew would regain control over his grieving rage before irreparable damage was done to his country and to his family.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! As a side note, dangles are the Narnian version of a crib mobile. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one. **


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